There are nearly 47 million Black Americans living in the United States that have diverse interests politically, economically, socially, and culturally. But no demand or interest is more important than equal justice and opportunity in all areas, including the auto industry. Let me be crystal clear: There will be no peace without justice and there will be no justice without equality.

Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.

(President and CEO of the NNPA)

This point of view and reality check was put forth with therapeutic intellectual clarity at the 17th annual Rainbow PUSH Coalition Global Automotive Summit last week in Detroit, Michigan. Under the experienced leadership of Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., the global gathering of automotive industry executives, civil rights, business, media, and community leaders was an initiative of the Citizenship Education Fund.

Refocusing Diversity on Ethic Minority Growth

The theme of the auto summit was “Refocusing Diversity on Ethic Minority Growth.” Throughout the conference inconsistencies were highlighted between the goal of inclusion, as envisioned, and the results measured, with an intent to resolve the disparities that prevent Black Americans from participating fully and equally in the auto industry.

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) was very pleased to participate in the Global Automotive Summit. The summit was timely and strategically informative. We were all reminded about the importance of not permitting ourselves to get diverted off course in our centuries-long struggle for freedom, justice and equality